Faculty Participation in Shared Governance

Shared Governance

Governance of the university is a process by which faculty, staff, students, and administrators have co-created and sustained a great university.

UW-Madison governance groups include:

  • University Committee, Faculty Senate
  • Academic Staff Executive Committee, Academic Staff Assembly
  • University Staff Central Committee, University Staff Congress
  • Associated Students of Madison (ASM)

Levels of Faculty Participation

  • Faculty Member
  • Department (Faculty, Executive Committee)
  • College/School (Academic Planning Council, college/school committees)
  • Divisional Committees: tenure recommendations, appointments to campus committees, awards
    (Executive committees of four faculty divisions: Arts & Humanities, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Studies)
  • UW-Madison campus (Faculty Senate, University Committee, “Chapter 6” committees)

Faculty Senate

  • Representatives are elected from faculty districts (departments)
  • Exercises the authority of faculty
  • Governance of campus subject to powers of chancellor
  • Educational policy
  • Admissions and graduation requirements
  • Rules and procedures for faculty review
  • Meets 7 times each year
  • First Mondays, 3:30 p.m., 272 Bascom Hall
  • 1st meeting: 3 October 2022

University Committee

  • Executive committee of the Faculty Senate
  • Members elected by/from entire faculty to staggered 3-year terms:
    • Michael Bernard-Donals, English and Mosse-Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies
    • Chiao-Ping Li, Dance
    • Lauren Papp, Human Development & Family Studies (chair)
    • Fernando Tejedo-Herrero, Spanish & Portuguese
    • Susan Thibeault, Surgery
    • Ellen Zweibel, Astronomy

University Committee Oversight

  • Speaks and acts for faculty on policy
  • Exceptional personnel actions
  • Committee memberships
  • Consultation and advice based on Faculty Policies & Procedures (FP&P), including grievances

Your Role: Participation in shared governance is a right & responsibility of all faculty!

  • Join in the governance of your department
  • Sit in on a Faculty Senate meeting
  • Move toward participation in campus governance
  • Join PROFS